Professional Journey and Background

Background and early academic path
Unlike many mental health providers, I didn’t begin my academic journey intending to become a therapist. Initially, I pursued a pre-med track, influenced by a family of nurses. Although I wasn’t particularly passionate about medicine, it felt like a reasonable starting point. During my first semester, I enrolled in a biology course, aligning with the pre-med curriculum. However, the rest of my classes reflected a broader curiosity—they included Microeconomics, Introduction to Criminal Justice, and a Drawing course.

Shift to Criminal Justice and Psychology
As the semester progressed, I found the criminal justice class especially captivating and decided to declare it as a second major. In the summer of 2003, I enrolled in two courses—Criminology and Forensic Behavior Analysis —which proved to be transformative. I became fascinated by the psychological dimensions of crime and knew that I wanted to dedicate my career to investigative work. This realization led me to pivot toward forensic psychology, and I went on to change my primary major to Psychology. I ultimately graduated with dual bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Criminal Justice, as well as a minor degree in Women’s Studies from Stockton University in Pomona, New Jersey.

Graduate education and externship
Following my graduation from Stockton University, I enrolled in the Forensic Psychology program at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City, later earning a Master’s degree. Interestingly, part of my experience during this program included an externship at Rikers Island Correctional Facility, where I helped develop a behavior modification program for the adolescent mental health units.

Doctoral training and unexpected turn toward therapy
Continuing forward with the intention of becoming a law enforcement consultant, I enrolled in the Clinical Psychology doctoral program at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL. During this time, I developed The Street Smart Guide to Self-Defense and Assault Prevention, a training program designed to help others think like a predator so that they can avoid becoming a victim. I was also part of a group of students referred to as the Nova Players, an endeavor that involved assist law enforcement with the acquisition of skills to help them deescalate critical situations involving hostages and barricaded subjects.

Although not part of my original focus, my time as Nova required me to complete different therapy oriented practicums as part of their training program. To my surprise, I discovered that I had a natural ability to connect with individuals who are often considered difficult to reach, including adolescents and people involved in the legal system. This experience inspired me to expand my professional goals to include therapy, as well as psychological testing.

Postdoctoral work and formation of practice
After completing my doctorate, I pursued a postdoctoral fellowship at Stone, McElroy, & Associates in Smyrna, Georgia. My work there involved conducting pre-employment psychological evaluations for police and public safety personnel, fitness-for-duty evaluations and consultations, and post-critical incident debriefings. I also performed psychological assessments for reality television cast candidates, facilitated coping skills training for cast members, and developed a mental health first aid program for production crew members.

The Mobile Psychologist, PLLC is ultimately the culmination of these different experiences into one entity.